THERE is a saying that the greatest of all freedoms is the freedom of choice. People the world over cherish the idea of choice which is a fundamental human right, especially when it comes to choosing a government of one’s choice in certified free and fair elections.

One reason (among several others) why the Democratic Party in the United States has done so well in the last two presidential elections is because of its enlightened pro-choice stance on fundamental issues, including the right to decide on abortion and on gay rights.
This element of choice has become a defining charasteric of our emerging democracy. The current parliamentary configuration which gave the parliamentary opposition a one-seat majority is a manifestation of our evolving democracy, even though the national interest could be compromised by partisan politics as happened recently by the refusal of the opposition parties to lend support to the anti-money laundering bill and the Amalia Falls Hydro-electric Project.
If there is one thing most, if not all, Guyanese can agree on is that when it comes to freedom of choice and freedom of expression, Guyana compares favourably with any in the Caribbean, and for that matter, the entire western hemisphere.
The judiciary is independent and free. There is no attempt whatsoever to tamper with the course of justice by the government. In fact, several rulings were made against the ruling PPP/C administration and agencies of the government.
There was a time in the not-so-distant past when such freedoms which we take for granted today were denied the Guyanese people. To begin with, the entire democratic fabric of the society was ruptured. There were no free and fair elections for close to three decades, and what passed for parliamenary democracy was nothing but a complete hoax. Parliament under the PNC was not only a rubber stamp, but totally unrepresentative of the will of the Guyanese electorate.
The current parliamentary configuration which gave the opposition parties a one-seat majority has turned out, regrettably, to be largely dysfunctional, and is not conducive to the overall good of the nation. What is playing out in our parliament today is a pathetic display of political arrogance by the combined opposition by virtue of their one-seat majority, to a point where it could not care less whether the integrity and well-being of the country and its citizens are put at risk.
The anti-national stance of the political opposition speaks to a mind-set which essentially says to the Guyanese people that partisan politics is primary, and any other consideration, regardless of its impact on the good and well-being of the Guyanese people, is at best of secondary importance.
Such thinking is, at best, short-sighted, and fails to adequately take into consideration the interests of significant constituencies which are organically linked to the body-politic and whose contributions to the society are significant. Take for instance the private sector, which, for all practical purposes, is seen as the engine of growth. Its attempt to have its voice heard in the higest-decision making body of the land, the National Assembly, was rudely denied by the combined opposition, despite the pleadings of Government MPs.
The curent PPP/C administration is now placed in a difficult situation in pursuance of its development agenda which, to a large extent, is being held hostage by a political opposition that seems to be more concerned with settling political scores rather than being a partner in the country’s development. True, as the parliamentary opposition, it has every right to scrutinize and propose amendments to bills; but opposing for the sake of opposing, and using the parliament as a medium for trade-offs and political blackmail is counter-productive, and certainly not in the best national interest.
In any functioning democracy, there is need for checks and balances in order to ensure that the best interests of the people are upheld. This is why it is always a good thing for the three arms of the state to maintain their independence and not stand in the way of each other.
What is playing out in the country currently is a situation where the legislative arm is frustrating the work of the executive by all manner of political subtefuges aimed at crippling the developmental agenda of the PPP/C administration.
The fact is that the PPP/C is the democratically elected government, with a mandate to govern, in keeping with the provisions of our Constitution. Unlike previous Constitutions which were foisted on the Guyanese people, the current Constitution was endorsed by Guyanese from all walks of life, through numerous consultations involving all major stakeholders, including the political opposition. Contrary to what is being peddled in some quarters, the PPP/C is not a ‘minority’ government. It has won close to 50% of the votes in the last elections, and therefore enjoys the full confidence of the people of Guyana. In politics, two minorities do not constitute a majority. This fact was well established during the 1964 elections, when two minority parties, the PNC and the United Force, came together in a coalition government to remove the PPP from office with devastating consequences.
Having regard to the above, the PPP/C administration ought to be given a fair chance to exercise its constitutionall mandate to govern without undue hindrance by the legislative arm of the state.

(By Hydar Ally)